


Revive

by orphan_account



Series: Through the Valley [1]
Category: Reboot Series - Amy Tintera, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Ben trains Rey, Bendemption, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, English not my mother language, F/M, First Kiss, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Post-Apocalypse, Reylo Reboot AU no one asked for, Sharing a Bed, Slow Burn, Sorry for the errors, Sort Of, Zombie Apocalypse, Zombie!Ben, Zombie!Rey, love after death, read the notes if you haven't read Reboot by Amy Tintera
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-03
Updated: 2019-08-18
Packaged: 2020-07-30 08:23:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 14,572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20094238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: He shouldn't have emotions. He should be a merciless, cold-blooded killer who only follows the orders.She shouldn't have compassion. She should be a self-centered, indifferent scavenger who does everything to survive.But love changed them both.





	1. ONE

**Author's Note:**

> If you haven't read Reboot by Amy Tintera,dont worry, bc here ive listed the things you should know before reading this:  
KDH: a wide-spread virus that kills the old and weak but make the young and healthy come alive after death. The process of coming back from death is called Rebooting. The people who reboot are called the Reboots.  
Reboot: stronger, faster, able to heal, and less emotional. The longer Reboots are dead, the less human they are when they return. The length of time of their deaths is decided by how harsh the life before they die has been.  
There is a bar code printed at each Reboot's wrist, showing their names and how long they've been dead before Rebooting. You can refer to Reboots by their names+how long they were dead.for example, Rey ninety-seven.  
HARC:short for Human Advancement and Population Corporation.They gather teenage reboots(under 20)in different facilities and use them to arrest human criminals.

Rey screamed.

After she woke up from death.

She had been dead for 97 minutes, according to the bar code printed at her wrist. 

"Rey Jakku, ”said the code, "97. ”

Rey had lived in an orphanage run by Unkar Plutt. Then,when Rey was ten, the man died of KDH. She had to feed herself by collecting scraps of metals and selling them on black markets. Not too different from when Unkar was alive. 

She had lived a harsh life as a human. She used to be starved. Almost frozen to death once or twice. Faded scars covered her body, some still hurt. It had been 5 years since she was utterly alone, having nobody to depend on. 

But after 97 minutes of being surrounded by entirely lifeless darkness and opened her eyes to the lights shining above, she couldn't help but let out a scream. 

She was no longer a human now.

She was a Reboot. 

Rey covered her wrist using the other hand, bit her bottom lip to suppress another cry. 

They told her that in HARC, if you showed weakness to others, you would be dead.

And from then on she had been quiet. 

They said that most Reboots would spend the first few days of their new lives in panic. Rey was no different, as she later found out. She hated to be restrained. Hated to be sheltered over. The last person who had sheltered over her ordered the seven-year-old her to collect metal scraps for him on the dirty and dangerous streets in Rosa. It led her to believe that HARC would treat her the same way.

She was not wrong. 

Rey closed her eyes. She was on a shuttle, her first time using this transport. Safety belt tied her to the seat, although due to her thinness she almost slipped out of the restrains. 

She felt scared. She hated to feel so. She wasn't afraid when her parents dropped her at the orphanage at six, when they guaranteed to come back. She wasn't afraid when Unkar Plutt forced her to work out of the orphanage, when she was totally exposed to all the dangers in Rosa. She wasn't afraid when she was left alone after Unkar's death. She was not afraid when KDH slowly ate her up and gave her great pain.

But now, the tight knot in her stomach and the loud pounding of her heart told her that she was afraid. Scared. Terrified. 

She wasn't sure why she was so afraid when she was given a chance to start over. When she was granted with a new life, where she was stronger and more indifferent. 

Maybe it was because of the changing. Grown-ups often worried about the changes in life. Her parents would argue when another vaccine for KDH they couldn't afford came out, when they were kicked out of their flat and had nowhere to go, when the drug dealers raised a higher price on what they were addicted to. 

Rey was 15. Maybe she did grow up. It made no difference, though. After KDH broke out, the only rule in the world was to survive on your own. It didn't matter how old you were. 

She opened her eyes and looked around. The human guard was apparently too sleepy to watch over the situation. Her brain was instinctively forming an escape plan, but she suppressed it. She was not jumping out of a shuttle just to return to the slums of Rosa and got herself killed. 

The Reboots they brought on this shuttle were all teenagers over 12, as she had learnt. They said the children under 12 would be raised in another organization until they were old enough to be useful. 

HARC said a lot of things. 

Rey believed every single one of them. 

* * *

It was night when they arrived at Austin facility. The chilly night air brought a shiver down her spine. She noticed that her clothes had been changed. 

It was such a luxury to wear new clothes. Not with dirt and holes. Actually, it was the first time in her life to wear such things. 

She began to think that maybe HARC would treat her better like they already were.

They ran tests on her. A lot of tests. She was asked to run as fast as she could on a treadmill carrying many devices she had never seen before. 

They told her that she was strong. But to be stronger, she had to train.

The Newbies were trained by Reboots that were over 120, which meant to be a trainer you must be dead for 120 minutes or longer.

Rey was a little disappointed that she didn't have the chance to become a trainer. 

She was also secretly glad because she wasn't as emotionless and cold as the trainers. 

* * *

She sat among other Newbies as they had breakfast at the cafeteria. She would never admit it, but she had wanted to make some friends at this new place. There were no friends in human world, not even in the orphanage. However, now they didn't have to fight each other for the chance to survive. She assumed that this would give them a choice to be friendly. Rey allowed her mind to wander further as she dug her fork into the steak. 

"Hello, ”she jumped a little when someone suddenly patted her elbow. "I'm Finn fifty-four. This is my friend, Poe seventy-three. What about you?”

Rey turned to her left to see a dark skinned boy smiling brightly to her. Behind the boy was a good-looking guy who clearly was much older than her , also smiling. Usually Reboots would look paler than humans, but these boys looked almost didn't change at all. 

Rey tried to radiate the same kindness when she turned the corner of her mouth to form a smile. 

"I'm Rey ninety-seven. ”She said as gently as she could. It was not easy after a decade of leading a harsh life on the streets of Rosa. "Nice to meet you. ”

The two gasped when they heard her number. "Wow, that's pretty cool!”said Poe, who didn't even try to hide his shock. Rey didn't know if it was a compliment or a sarcastic comment, but judging from Poe’s earnest expression, the first guess might be correct.

"Can we be friends?”Finn said, "You know, it's gonna be wonderful to havea friend who can kick people's ass. ”

Warmth filled Rey's heart as she suppressed the urge to laugh. "Of course.” She shaked hands with the two. "I would like to. ”

They finished their meals and stood up from their seats, followed the crowd to exit the cafeteria. Rey got distracted when a noise came from behind. Someone was screaming. 

Screaming were never good signs. Rey wanted to cover her ears and hide soemwhere, but she forced herself to turn to the familiar voice. 

It was Finn. Rey moved closer, her heart pounding fast. Finn was lying on the ground, blood dripped from his nose. A red-haired boy stood beside him, laughing and kicking his side. Reboots gathered beside the two, some were wearing a smug look on their faces, others were evidently horrified. 

"Fifty-four, isn't it? ”yelled the red-haired boy, raising his wrist, "I doubled your number, coward! You don't even dare tofight back!”

Rage filled Rey's heart as she ran forward. Poe was helping Finn up as the red-haired boy kept insulting the two. 

"Only cowards would be proud of bullying people.”She called out to the boy, clenching her fist. 

Red hair turned to her, visibly astonished by her statement. Rey enjoyed a moment of victory when he flushed over her words. 

"Who do you think you are to insult me, street brat?”Red hair spit at her."So fragile and weak. HARC wouldn't like that.”

"I'm Rey ninety-seven, coward. I'm not afraid of a bully. ”She straightened her back, looked into his eyes. 

"Is that a challenge?”Red hair scoffed. 

"Yes. ”Her tone was calm and determined. She hoped she felt like what she showed on the exterior.

There was no time to regret the decision. She quickly ducked to dodge a blow from the bully, then raised her elbow to strike his chest. She had been in a lot of fights back when she was still human, but she used to be accompanied by her quarterstaff. 

I cannot be weak. Thought Rey. HARC won't like that. 

She replayed the scene of Finn bleeding on the ground in her mind. Fury flamed the blood her veins, driving her to attack.

"Told you it would be awesome to have a friend who's an ass kicker.” Finn said to Poe. Rey smirked at the comment, taking her chance to punch the boy's jaw. 

The boy's expression distorted from pain. 

It seemed to infuriate Red hair more than anything, that he would probably lose to a newbie whose number was under 100. Rey raised her arm to neglect a blow. The bump was so powerful that it caused Rey to stumble backwards. She bent her knees to prevent her head from being hit. 

The only way of killing a Reboot was to destroy their head. 

Rey was getting exhausted. She had never met such a strong fighter before. To be honest, she had mostly encountered with half-starved, inexperienced scavengers like her. But Red hair was a well-trained and well-fed Reboot, who had got a higher number and more strength. It was clear that Rey was the disadvantaged one, not the bully. She felt much more passive as she dodged another blow. Why haven't the guards intervened yet?

She stole a glance at the guards at the windows.

It seemed that they were enjoying this fight just like the red hair did. 

Rey gritted her teeth, gathering all her strength and concentrated them at her fists. She tried to end this fight by throwing her fists forward.

Suddenly, the world went black. The red hair gave her an uppercut that sent her flying backwards. She blinked. Everything was spinning so fast…

"Bullying newbies again, Hux? Really, don't you have better activities to keep you occupied?”A low voice approached her. Rey groaned on the ground, struggling to keep herself concious. In her blurry view, she could see a tall dark figure look at her from above. 

So the red hair was Hux. She thought, the figure must have a number high enough to shut Hux's mouth. 

"That's Kylo one-eighty-three. ”Finn whispered as he pulled Rey up. Rey's legs felt weak, her teeth clattered from pain. "The highest number here.”

Rey snapped back into reality. So her rescuer was the infamous Kylo Ren, known to humans as a merciless killer. She stepped backwards, unsure what to do. 

She glanced at Kylo, only to gaze into his observing eyes. Hux, though still looking at Rey with hatred, didn't dare standing against Kylo. Rey stared at those dark eyes.eye. They were somehow mesmerizing, with amber flickering at the edge of his pupils. She exhaled as he walked in her direction.

"You fight good. ”she jumped at Kylo's voice. The air in the cafeteria seemed to be stilled as his intimidating figure towered over her. 

"Well, thank you? ”she stammered, blushing in embarrassment. He casted her another glance before exiting the cafeteria. 


	2. TWO

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben's POV.

Ben didn't scream.

He didn't as he woke up after one hundred and eight three minutes of death. 

Bodies surrounded him, some already producing an unpleasant smell. Ben tried not to picture his companions in mind. 

At first, he was too frightened to make a sound. His muscles seemed frozen, but when he managed to move a little, he was relieved to find a new source of power flowing through his body. 

He smiled, then fell back into panic as pain blasted in his chest. He reached under his shirt, his fingers touched something rough and uneven.

His was stabbed and bled to death. A permanent scar remained on his chest. They did their best to fix it by stitching the skin around that hole back together.

It didn't feel so great, especially when you were only fifteen years old and had lived your life in richer parts of the city. 

* * *

Ben jolted awake, sweating heavily. He glanced at the other bed in their dorm. To his relief, Mikita fifty-nine was still asleep. It had been rare to see his roommate sleep so soundly these days. Something must have gone wrong, but Ben didn't dare exploring more about it. The more curious a Reboot was, the more possible they wouldn't survive. Kylo one-eighty-three couldn't afford such stupid mistakes. 

Changing his name was a privilege that came from Ben's high number.

In fact, no one had been dead for this long. 

It was scary and wonderful at the same time, being who people feared the most. Living his new life under the mask of Kylo Ren one-eighty-three, 17-year-old Ben Solo had known this feeling better than anyone could have. 

He lay awake in bed, staring into the empty darkness, like how he had spent most of the nights during the last two years. 

* * *

Ben loved the days when newbies were sent into the facility. Not that it was enjoyable for him to get to know another panicked Reboot. Actually, the truth was just the opposite. But he did enjoy being a trainer and help another child to achieve his full potential. It usually came every six weeks, which meant he had trained more than ten newbies. 

Hux one-zero-eight had just finished his training. Though he was the strongest trainee Ben had ever met, Ben didn't quite like him. The red-haired brat held no respect for others and he excelled at making troubles. Especially when it came to the newbies. Hux liked to claim his authority to the frightened victims on their first day at the facility. 

Ben had reported to Officer Snoke about his trainee's irrational behaviors. "Fear makes people stronger,Kylo one-eighty-three, ”Snoke had said,"by threatening the newcomers your trainee has helped them become better soldiers. We shall encourage his rightful use of power. ”

As long as the officers decided not to intervene, there was nothing Ben could do. He secretly hoped that he had choked that arrogant idiot during their training. 

It was not like he disagreed with HARC's decisions. Kylo one-eighty-three was an allegiant soldier who shouldn't have personal emotions. 

At least that was what he told himself. 

"You have too much human in you,”officer Snoke said to him once. "Only a teenager in your mask. ”

He was enraged, but he didn't dare defying the officer. Snoke was right, he needed to live to his number. 

He had grown accustomed to the incidents at the cafeteria, so when another newbie was attacked, Ben didn't try to intervene. After all, there were at least twenty armed human guards with loaded guns behind the glass windows of the cafeteria who were prepared to control the situation when it deteriorated. 

"Only cowards would be proud of bullying people.”A girl's voice suddenly attracted his attention. He could tell that she was trying to sound brave and determined, but the undisguised trembling of her voice said otherwise. 

He turned around in curiosity. What he saw almost made him feel uncomfortable: a girl little more than five feet tall was standing before the red-haired fool, her steady posture did nothing to make her look threatening. Her dark hair was tied into three buns, which to him was a strange but beautiful hairstyle. She raised her chin up, clenching her hands into fists. 

I would never train her, he thought. Her small body size and the ignorance to power made her look like a under-sixty.

Hux made his move. Ben almost felt sorry for the girl. It was going to be a nightmare for someone like her fo have Hux as an opponent. 

He  **almost** .

Emotionless. That was what the high-numbers were. 

He thought about walking away when he saw the girl's movement. She miraculously dodged the blow, her velocity really impressed Ben, who was usually hard to be impressed. It was a surprise to Hux, too, judging from the flush that came onto his face. He was angry.

A sinking feeling formed in Ben's stomach. The fight was going to be ugly.

He  **almost ** wanted to intervene and stop the fight, but the idea dissolved at the sight of human guards. Some of them were watching and laughing as if this was some kind of entertainment. Small girl against the scary guy, what an interesting scenery to witness. 

Ben didn't find any source of the anger that was forming in his own chest. 

The girl's fighting style was raw and passionate, like a desperate survivor, whom he thought her to be as a human. Her incredible flexibility nearly made up for the disadvantage that lack of power brought her. Once she received proper training, she would definitely defeat his last trainee with ease.

He watched her fight. It was clear that she was gradually losing her strength. The back of her shirt was soaked with sweat. Her attacks became less and less powerful, until she had no choice but to give up being aggressive and only act on self-defense. 

Ben didn't know why he almost felt disgusted when seeing the smug look on Hux's face when the guy kicked the girl to the ground. 

The three-buned girl curled up and groaned in pain. It would be her luck if there weren't any broken bones.

He almost wanted to rush to her and scoop her up and protect her with his embrace. 

But he shouldn't feel protective towards a stranger. In fact, Kylo one-eighty-three shouldn't have felt anything. 

An unexpected...guilt washed over him as he watched the girl shivered on the ground, all of her fellow newbies were too scared to give a helping hand.

In the end, he surrendered to the emotion he hadn't felt for long and walked over to make that bully piss off. 

When the girl looked into his eyes, he found himself drowning in a sea of warmth and light, losing himself in the darkest hazel he'd ever seen.

Ben tried not to be affected. But he was.

* * *

The Newbies were led into the training room. Their movements were slow and calculated, their eyes warily scanning their surroundings. These features of Reboots could help you differ them from humans. The creatures had eyes so fierce that their pupils were almost glowing, but something shining about human was forever lost on them. Maybe the sign of living would really burn brighter than a thousand sun, until a human lost it during the process of temporary death.

Ben noticed the girl from yesterday at the first sight. She found him watching her, her hand moved a little like she intended to wave to him, but eventually she only turned her head in his direction, the side of her mouth turned up into a stiffened and awkward smile. 

Ben almost smiled back. 

Don't get distracted, Kylo one-eighty-three. Snoke’s words replayed in his head. He said  _ Kylo  _ in a mocking tone, as if amused by his attempt to let go of the past. 

He didn't want to ruin a nice day when he got to train another newbie, so he stopped in the middle of his thoughts. 

“Don't look at them, “yelled Phasma one-nineteen, making the newbies tear their curious gaze away from the trainers. Phasma hadn't been in a good mood today. Ben supposed it was because she missed the opportunity to become a trainer by one minute. 

"The girl is the highest number this time. No wonder.”Kaydel one-fifty-sixth whispered to Ben. The Reboots over 120 are not famous for their socializing skills, but since Kaydel was the second highest number in the facility, she and Ben had almost been friendly. 

"What girl?”Ben asked before he realized she was referring to no others than the three-bunned girl from yesterday. 

"Rey ninety-seven. Over there.”Kaydel winked at her direction. "High numbered reboots are becoming fewer these days.I guess life out there has been improved.”

Ben half-heartedly nodded. So her name was Rey. 

He liked her name. It was nothing associated with emotions or feelings, though. It felt as plain as a favourite kind of food.

Phasma ordered the newbies to stand in a line, then gestured to Ben. "Kylo one-eighty-three, you may choose your trainee.”

Another privilege being the highest number brought was the priority in choosing trainees. 

"Rey ninety-seven.” Her name tasted like the ray of sunshine, though the darkness that occupied his tone had washed this little glint of hope away.

He tried to convince himself that he choosed her only for her number. 

That must be the case. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! You dont have to leave a kudo or comment, bc i just want more people to read this, but every feedback i get will be well appreciated!  
The next update is coming in one or two days.


	3. THREE

He chose her. 

Kylo one-eighty-three chose her as a trainee.

Rey blinked, her mind processing the information. 

The Reboot that was going to train her could slaughter humans without thinking twice; The Reboot had been dead for a total of one hundred and eighty three minutes, which made him no better than a corpse. The Reboot was emotionless and merciless, and she doubted he would let her finish her training without several broken bones. 

She felt like falling into a dark ice hole, dread filled every fiber of her being. 

* * *

_Months ago_

The night was falling around her. Rey deeply inhaled, the dusty air of Rosa filled her lungs. She dragged her collection of metal scraps down the street through the unpleasant smell of rubbish and the crackles of metal against the cement pavement. She pressed a piece of cloth that she tore off from the bottom of her shirt onto the wound in her upper arm to stop the bleeding.

Rey made herself a mental note to bring her quarterstaff next time when going to the other end of the city, because earlier that day she got caught up in a fight there and had nothing to help protect herself. Carelessness left her with the wound. She couldn't afford to make the same mistake again.

Suddenly, Rey's sharp survivor instinct sensed a slight change in the night air. Someone was coming her way. Adrenaline flowed through her veins. She picked her belongings up, quickly hid herself behind a rubbish bin. It would not be pretty if HARC found her still out at curfew. 

Rey was a scavenger who had nothing other than her life to lose. As a result, her top priority was to survive.

She curled at the corner, too afraid to even breathe. Rey closed her eyes and hoped the Reboot was only passing by. 

What a ridiculous hope. 

"Ben. ” A familiar voice distracted Rey from her fear. Rey covered the lower half of her face with one hand, tilted her head to get a better view of the source of the voice. 

In her limited periphery, she could make out two figures. The older man was holding a torch, the icy light radiating from it lit up their faces. When Rey recognized one of those faces, she stiffened. 

The older man was Han Solo, the famous rebellion leader. 

Not that she had an interest in politics. Practically, she was often so busy with feeding herself that she couldn't care less about those things. However, the rebels put so much effort into making themselves known that HARC no longer considered them harmless. The leaders of it all had a bounty on their head. Their pictures were stuck to the exterior of almost every building in Rosa, covering the black and white graffitis that used to be there. Han Solo was certainly no exception. 

Ben? That must be his son, Ben Solo, who was murdered several years ago. She didn't know if the boy had Rebooted, but that was not her concern. Witnessing this scenery, though, gave her the answer. 

"That, ” the other person, who Rey supposed to be Ben Solo, said in a grave voice."Is not my name. I am Kylo one-eighty-three, not your weak, human son Ben Solo. ”

Han didn't argue. Instead, he reached out tp touch Ben Solo's shoulder. "I'm here to take you home, Ben.”

Even in the dim torchlight, Rey could tell that Ben Solo had tears in his eyes. His expression distorted in pain,his lips evidently trembling when speaking.

"I've been torn apart.”

Surprisingly, a wave of compassion washed over Rey. But then, she remembered the way he spoke to his father, and the disgust towards his action dissolved the empathy. 

Ben Solo had parents who loved him, that were willing to come back for him and take him home. He had got everything Rey had dreamt of, then he threw them away like garbage. Who was he to claim himself being torn apart?

"Please. Help me. ”Rey took a quiet breath, bit back the part of her that was irrational enough to feel sorry for this guy. 

Han's eyes glinted with understanding. His gaze was filled with forgiveness, as he gently stroked his son's cheek. For a brief moment, Rey wished that she was in Ben Solo's position, being bathed in parents’ love and care that she never had. 

The moment ended with a knife anp the smell of blood. 

She saw it-with her own eyes, clear as day-that Kylo put the blade of the knife into hia father's chest.

Rey flinched back into the corner in horror, burying her face in the dirty fabric of her shirt.

"Kylo one-eighty-three. Assignment secured.”

* * *

_Now_

The Reboot who killed his father. 

Rey deeply inhales, the smell of blood in the training room brought her back to reality. She looked down at the dark green floor to avoid showing Kylo the hatred in her eyes. She made a big mistake by smiling at him this morning, grateful to him for helping her at yesterday's fight. 

As the memory surfaced, she had a better guess on his intention of interceding the fight. Couldn't let Hux win all the Newbies' revere, wasn't it? 

That must be the case. 

She fixed her eyes on the ground though she could feel his observing gaze on her, as if evaluating her abilities. 

What was the point to despise an emotionless killer machine? 

* * *

"I feel so sorry that you have to be trained by that guy, Rey.” Rose forty-six said. Rose was a beautiful Asian girl with an extrovert and optimistic personality. She was Rey's roommate, and Rey liked her immediately the moment she spoke. 

"Well, ”they were sitting on their beds-they shared a room with two narrow beds and a dresser-chatting before going to sleep. Tomorrow the training would begin. As the second lowest number among the Newbies, Rose got picked by Tara one-twenty-two, who was known for mercy and kindness that was rare among high numbers. Rey grew a little jealous of her roommate for having such a good mentor when she herself didn't have the luck. "I guess there are good aspects. Like...his skills are the best and learning his fighting style will help me survive easier in assignments...”she trailed off, an uncomfortable feeling took over her thinking about going back to the streets and arresting dangerous criminals. Would she be strong enough to survive that? 

"Make sense. ”said Rose, "Anyways, he's still a jerk. And a psychopath. You cannot change my mind. ”

* * *

"Can you run?”He asked her abruptly right after the newbies' arrival at the training room. 

Hearing his voice often brought her back to that chilly night in Rosa, when he put the blade through his father's chest. She shivered, trying to keep her tone even. "Yes, why?”

"Show Me. ”He simply replied, "Running can keep you alive in extremely dangerous situations.”

Like when confronting you? Rey bit the inside of her cheek to prevent these words escaping from her throat. She wordlessly turned to take his request and started moving her legs. 

"Too slow. ”Commented Kylo, who didn't put much effort into following her. 

Rsy sped up, holding her head up. She didn't want him to feel victorious by criticizing her and making her ashamed. 

"Keep your head down, ninety-seven. Your posture is making it much too easy for humans to aim at the head. ” Kylo said behind her, exposing no emotion in his voice. 

Rey was irritated."See us all as machines like you, don't you? Am I nothing but a number?”

She stopped and turned around to face him. Kylo's pale face was shaded upon by a mixture of anger and frustration. He grabbed her right wrist, keeping her close. His skin was so cold that Rey trembled at his touch. 

"First of all, you don't know me well enough to make such accusations. ”Their gaze locked. Rey struggled to pull her wrist free from his grip, but it was so tight that she couldn't make it even if using all her strength.

"I've known enough about you. ” An idea popped into Rey's head. She flipped their joined hands to expose Kylo's bar code, printed on the inside of his wrist. "I've seen you murder your father who give a damn about you, _Ben Solo_. I saw you killing him with my own eyes. ”

He released her in shock. His expression turned dark, the mask he tried so hard to maintain started to crack. 

"Quit bringing up my personal issues unless you are expecting some broken bones.” His voice returned to its usual coldness, but more intimidating than any other time Rey had heard him speak.

She finished running two kilometers within five minutes. Neither she or Kylo had spoken again in the process. 

* * *

The only thing in the facility that Rey hated other than Kylo was the showers. They were not really used for taking showers, though-the more common use of them was sex. There was only a piece of curtain between the boys’ and girls’ shower areas, and the guards were tired of forcing these hormonally active teenagers back to where they should be. 

Rey hated being exposed, and she could never understand why people would ever be willing to stay naked in others’ presence. She was probably the only Reboot girl who came in and out of shower wearing all of her clothes. 

Rose teased her about that. "Something shared between you and that Kylo guy. Already got influenced on the first day of training, haven't you? ”

Rey shot her a disgusted look. "Damn, Rose, who told you that?I mean about Kylo?”

"Finn, of course!” Rose said excitedly, then blushed a deep red at Rey's suspicious look. "I didn't do that with him, by the way. We've only been here for one day! ”

"They are like...animals.”Rey murmured. She didn't know how to explain this feeling to Rose when she asked about it, so she remained silent. 

* * *

"Do you have anything that you are exceptionally good at as a human?”Kylo asked her on their second day of training.

"I used a quarterstaff. ”Rey replied. Most of their conversations were like this one, all about business. 

Rey didn't know how to communicate with a nightmare for humans, a monster. It was not her fault. 

"We don't have it here. You have to adapt to using smaller weapons, like knives and guns.”He paused, as if thinking. "You needa teacher.I will teach you. ”

"I can use a knife. ”She argued. Surely Rey wouldn't want to be around Kylo when he was equipped with a knife.

"Show me, then.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading this chapter. The next one will come in one or two days. Love yall🥰🥰🥰


	4. FOUR

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Multiple POVs. Things are heating up.

**Ben**

_ She saw his worst nightmare. _

Ben gasped, staring at the girl before him. 

Rey saw him kill his father.

His blood ran cold. Her words was tearing open his never healed wound, bringing him back to that cursed night, when he let go of his past, ending Ben Solo's life in the meantime. 

He felt as if underwater, trying to catch his breathe, lost his ability to move or speak. 

The first emotion he had felt in a long time was, not unexpectedly, guilt. 

* * *

That night, they were standing on the roof, waiting for the shuttle. The trainers would use the Newbies' first assignment to familiarize them with the whole procedure.

Unless they didn't survive this time, the practice would always benefit them in their next ones. 

It wasn't uncommon for Reboots to die during their first assignment. 

Ben hadn't been exchanging any word with Rey since the incident in the training room. The dark part of him thought briefly of destroying her for bringing up his past, but the idea was soon took over by even deeper guilt. 

Ben didn't like her for triggering his emotions. 

Rey ninety-seven was standing next to him, her hands nervously gripping the bottom of her black jacket. Her breath was uneven, and the serious look on her face was not doing so good at hiding her anxiety.

Certain he couldn't be feeling protective of Rey ninety-seven. 

"Don't be afraid. I feel it too.” Ben said without thinking twice, breaking the silence. Then, coming to realization of what he was saying, warmth creeped onto his face. Apparently Rey caught his moment of unease, because an emotion that could almost be described as understanding appeared in her beautiful hazel eyes.

He certainly didn't want to describe her eyes as beautiful. He must have been admiring the strength and determination, which brightened her eyes, making her seem like a spark in the dark. 

"You are lying.” She said, her attention fully occupied by the arriving shuttle. The air around them started moving as the vehicle approached. "You, Kylo one-eighty-three, doesn't feel. And I am not afraid.”

He almost smirked, amused by her feigned bravery. "We all know who's a bigger liar, ninety-seven.”

Rey pressed her lips into a thin line before she spoke again. "Well, at least one of my statements is true. ”

She turned around to look at him. He felt bare before her, like she could see through his s-

No, Ben Solo no longer had a soul. He was hardly a vessel of inflicting memories and long buried terror. 

Her gaze lingered on his face for a moment longer. "Can't you just call me Rey?”her tone was lighter than usual. Some hair were dancing beside her face in the airstream. 

Ben couldn't help but lean towards her, reach out and tuck it behind her ear. 

They both froze.

Ben was usually very good at concealing his feelings.

He almost lost control this time, though.

He was expecting a disgusted look from Rey. No one wanted to have skin-to-skin contact with one-eighty-three. Surely they wouldn't want to be touched by a walking corpse. 

Rey's cheek slightly flushed, but she wasn't shown to be humiliated or disgusted. If she did feel so internally, she didn't let it show.

Ben's hand dropped to his sides. 

"Alright, Rey. Let's aboard the shuttle. ”

**REY**

Rey couldn't stop replaying the moment ih her head, and by that she was very irritated. 

A simple action of caring. 

She didn't know he could probably care about anyone other than herself. 

Her mind wandered to his cold fingers brushing against her auricle, him being so close that she could feel his shallow breath. It was a thing much too human of Kylo one-eighty-three to do. 

She tried to shift her attention to something more important. The first thing that came into her mind was the assignment. 

Right. The assignment. 

"Tell me about our assignment. ”She said to Kylo, who was sitting beside her. Too close. Rey suddenly felt a little uncomfortable, so she moved in her seat, putting more distance between them. 

Although a part of her, unreasonably, had wanted the opposite.

"Eric Smith. Human.Thirty-five. Charged with murder. The victim is his own 7-year-old child, who rebooted one month prior. ”

Rey sensed a hint of rage in his voice. The sudden burst of emotion brought some life onto his skin, that at that moment, Rey almost forgot who he was. 

She  _ almost _ . 

She wasn't sure what had angered him until she thought about his past. 

Someone stabbed him straight through the chest when he was fourteen. 

That would do it.

"Who did it?”She spoke her thoughts, then immediately regretted it. She thought back to his threat before, all her conflicting feelings for the boy crumbled. Kylo Ren was a monster, a murderous snake, a creature in the mask, and his death wouldn't make his crimes against ethics forgivable. 

"Who did what? ”

“Never mind. “the shuttle slanted to the left, the whole vehicle shaked hard. The light above them flickered a few times before it went totally dark. HARC got their transport as part of the trophy from the battle against Reboots, therefore the shuttles were a bit aged and small problems like this sometimes occurred.

The hair on Rey's back stood as she thought about sitting next to Kylo one-eighty-twhen in the darkness. She laced her fingers together, hoping the lights to come back on soon. 

The safety belt was too loose to keep Rey in her seat. Her position changed as the ship jolted again, this time her head bumped on something hard. 

She reached out blindly to examine the thing she bumped onto, her hand landed on fabric. The texture was familiar, typical chemical fiber that all the Reboots wore. She adjusted her posture to let her fingers travel upwards…

Until she touched flesh. Cold as marble. 

And she felt a heartbeat. Steady, slowly, like a distant thunder. 

And a strand of smooth curly hair.

Rey retrieved her hand as if it would be set on fire within another skin contact. She gripped her safety belt and tried to sat upright. 

"I'm not going to the showers with you, in case you're wondering. ”His whisper exploded in her ear, his tone teasing and sarcastic. 

“You are thinking so low of me for assuming that i would ever want to touch a murderer like you. ”

**BEN**

Far too intimate. 

He hated the ridiculous warm feeling swiveling in his stomach when she playfully-or maybe accidentally-touched his hair. He hated his wordlessness when he clearly had to say something to stop her from influencing him like that. He hated how attracted he felt towards her, like an animal instinct.

Her words, though, inflicted him more than everything. 

He knew it was the truth. No one would want to touch Kylo one-eighty-three. 

He was no better than a walking dead.

A pregnant, annoying silence filled the space between them once again as they exit the shuttle. The sounds of boots colliding with the solid pavement formed an ordered, pleasant rhythm made his mood a bit lighter. 

He didn't have moods. He reminded himself. He needed to focus on the assignment. 

He glanced at the other trainers and their newbies. Kaydel was lecturing Poe Dameron seventy-three on something, judging from her serious expression. 

He remembered seventy-three's name only because his trainee seemed to be in a good relationship with that guy. He felt a bit envy of Rey for her ability making friends.

No one had wanted to befriend Kylo one-eighty-three. 

**REY**

"Can you read the map?”Kylo took out a map of Austin from his pocket, then unfolded it in front of her. She struggled to make out the lines under the dim light of the street lamps. Reboots' eyes were more sensitive than the humans', but their pupils still spent a rather long time adjusting to the darkness. 

"Yes. ”It took her a few seconds to decide. When she was back in Rosa, maps were one of the necessities if you didn't want to lost your way among the destructed buildings. However, after she had memorized a map of her living area in her mind, the tool was used less often. She didn't forget all about it, though, just a bit out-of-practice. 

"His house is here. Head north. ”Kylo pointed to a red dot on that map and instructed her to head in another direction. Rey shot him a grateful glance, only to remember that he wasn't her friend. He was barely a mission partner. Mostly a trainer. 

She shoved the jumbled thoughts aside, running forward. She amazed herself by the incredible speed, which she hoped she'd possessed as a human who had to run from danger more often. 

"Don't waste too much of your energy. ”Kylo warned her from behind, his voice muffled by the helmet. Rey took his advice and slowed down. 

There were no games to play with your own life, after all. A useful suggestion ought to be taken, even the one who brought it up wasn't even worth of respect. 

Suddenly he grabbed her hand, making hee come toa dead halt. "There it is. ”

Eric Smith, their assignment, had a house of his own. It was one of the ugly bungalows lining the street. Judging from the outside, the wooden house was only next to falling apart.

Rey wrinkled her nose at the smell. It reminded her of the days in Rosa, her hometown. She lived in what was left of an old vehicle that could no longer be identified as anything other than garbage. The smell of sickness and death never stopped haunting her even if she had covered her head with the holed blanket. 

She hated that life. Hated being wary throughout the night, hated worrying about her safety, hated having to work hard for barely subsisting. 

And now when she finally earned herself a life more than survival, HARC was throwing her back onto the streets. Panic penetrated her bones, urging her to scream. 

Focus.

She needed to focus on the assignment. 

She tightened her grip on the gun, feeling the weight of it in her hand. 

Kylo knocked on the door to Eric's house. 

Nothing happened. 

"An act of respecting human rights. ”He explained. The claim was too absurd to be heard in Kylo's voice that Rey wanted to laugh. 

"Very nice of HARC to have such regulations. ”She commented. He turned to stare at her with a confusing look in his eyes before raising a hand and counted one to five. 

He kicked the door open at "Five”, revealing a few furnitures backed against the door. They were too weak a blockage for a Reboot, not to mention the strongest one. 

Rey followed him in, heart pounding in her ears. She jumped at the slightest sounds as she paced on the cracked wooden floor, suppressing the desire to scream.

"Eric Smith, ”Kylo shouted, startling Rey. “HARC knew what you had done. Maybe you'd prefer to-”

Gunshot. 

Rey closed her eyes, expecting the pain that never came. 

Another gunshot.

  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I suck at writing romantic tension im so sorry😟i take whatever criticism on this chapter bc i know it sucks. Have tried my best tho. Sorry.


	5. FIVE

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ben and Rey may be a little ooc in this...but remember they are only teens in this fic so their characteristics may change a little. Thank you for understanding!

**BEN**

He had been shot before. It was no big deal. The only trouble for him would be getting the bullet out of the flesh. 

That would be a little nasty. A little painful, too.

Ben was not afraid of pain. In fact, the wound would be the last thing he was worried of in such situations. 

When his Newbie froze on her spot and stared at his bleeding.

"What are you doing standing there, Rey? Run!”He yelled at her before turning around to fire at the figure emerging from the dark. Their assignment screamed and fell on one knee.

He deserved worse for the sake of his Reboot child. 

However, he never pulled the trigger to fire another bullet. HARC told him to bring Eric Smith back alive, and Ben knew better than disobeying HARC's orders.

Ben rushed to Eric Smith before the human could find anything to support his weight, cuffed the assignment’s wrists and ankles to prevent him from running away, though Ben doubted the human could even stand after he shot him in the leg.

Sometimes, Ben wished the person that murdered him could end up like Eric, who was currently making futile attempts of escaping, his cursing turned into incoherent sobs. 

"Please, ”the guy pleaded, his voice quivered in pain. "I didn't do anything wrong.”

Hundreds of humans had begged to Kylo one-eighty-three. 

He didn't understand what made them think that he would simply let them go.

Hope is the only thing that is stronger than fear. 

He dragged the human towards the door, ignoring the man's crying noises. 

He ought to be rid of compassion.

He looked around in order to spot his trainee. To his horror, Rey was nowhere to be seen. He frantically searched for her in the darkness of the night, but the girl's fragile figure was gone. 

"Rey? ”He shouted, “REY! Where are you?”

He was too much into looking for the girl to notice the sounds beside his feet. Ben rushed outside, leaving the criminal totally forgotten. 

"Ben! ”

He turned around violently to see the human shakily standing on one leg, trying to strangle Rey with his handcuffs. The rusty metal was tight against her neck and Rey was struggling to break free. 

Fury blurred Ben's world when he raised his gun. 

"Don't...pull...”She stammered out, short of breath, "The trigger. ”

He clicked open the safety just as the man fell backwards. Rey stepped forward, one hand gripping a knife that was dripping blood. 

"We need to bring him back alive. ”She pointed to the human, lying flat on his back. "A bullet wouldnot be necessary.”She turned on the comm, "Rey ninety-seven and Kylo one-eighty-three, assignment secured. We are heading back to the shuttle.”

* * *

**REY**

He smiled at her. 

Rey couldn't believe her eyes. She saw the muscle on Ben’s face move, then pull up into a genuine smile. 

She also couldn't believe that she just addressed him as Ben in her mind.

"Thank you.” There was relief in his voice. "I thought I lost you.”

His voice cracked on the last phrase. 

The scenery was surreal-Kylo Ren one-eighty-three, telling the trainee he had known for merely a week, the Newbie who he threatened and probably hated, that how afraid he was of losing her.

Confusion surrounded her mind like fog, together with a foreign feeling. 

Warmed.

Someone cared about her life. 

Someone cared for her. 

Rey found herself smiling back. "It's okay. Sorry for worrying you. ”

She paused. Her brain told her that what she was going to do next might be a very foolish mistake.

But how much could a different addressing hurt?

"Ben.”She added. 

* * *

**BEN**

The Reboots on the shuttle were mostly bruised, but at least everyone made it back here. A similar emotion was displaying on the Newbies' faces-fear, but with one exception. 

The one who was sitting next to him. 

Rey’s face was lit up with excitement and joy. 

He needed to tell her, at some point during their training, to stop openly showing her feelings.

HARC wouldn't like that.

He felt empty and weak without adrenaline flooding into his veins. The sudden weakness resulted in him starting to feel the aching of his bullet wound. 

A bullet stuck in there. He could feel it, under his flesh, a hard, solid and small-sized thing. 

He would have to wait until he was back in the dorms to remove it.

It would hurt even more than it did, but he had experienced worse. 

"He shot you three times. ”

He shivered as her fingers found his shoulder, now stopped bleeding. "It must hurt a lot. ”

She wiped her knife on her trousers, the black fabric looks almost not affected by the blood. She tilted her head towards his wound, as if asking mutely "May I”. 

Ben thought about rejecting her offer but still nodded. A feeling so foreign that he didn't recognize it at first filled his torso.

Warmed. 

Someone cared about his wounds. 

Someone cared if he was hurt. 

Someone cared for him. 

The tip of her knife steadily landed on his skin. Rey hesitated for a little while, then dugged it in. 

Ben had always been afraid of the blade. He could never forget what it was like to have the icy metal cut into his flesh, or cut into others' bodies. 

It burnt. Both times. 

However, he sat perfectly still as Rey helped him dig out the bullet. 

It didn't burn this time. It hurt when her blade tore his wound open and retrieved the little conical object, but it never burnt his heart like his previous experiences with the blade.

"That was the most disgusting thing I’ve ever done.” She joked, the blood-soaked bullet lying in her palm. 

* * *

**REY**

Rey didn't know what she was doing when she held up her tray and told her friends that she was going to sit opposite Kylo one-eighty-three at the cafeteria the next moring. 

Maybe she saw him eating alone and thought he feel lonely.

Maybe she felt compassion for him.

Maybe she had other motives.

"You are insane!” Poe exclaimed, "I thought you hated him. ”

"Did he brainwash you or something?” Finn looked as surprised as Poe, "Or if we had said anything wrong? ”

Rey shook her head, "I'm sorry guys. We have to discuss something about my training. ”

She didn't wait for them to ask more questions and walked directly over to Kylo's table. 

The whole cafeteria came into a dead silence when she took the seat opposite Kylo's. 

"Is there a rule that no one can sit here?”Rey asked loudly, feeling an unprovoked anger rising inside her. The Reboots treated him as some sort of…

Monster. She stiffened at the thought, wondering whether she had changed idea about what she saw in him. 

It was not a thing for her to worry right at this moment, she decided. 

"Why embarrass yourself like that? ”Ben wasn't eating, as she noticed. His tray was empty. 

“You should eat. ”She said, scooping up a spoonful of peas. 

"I finished my steak just now. Now answer my question.”His eyes fixed on her, "Why did you come to sit with me?”

"I saw you alone.”She shrugged, swallowing her food. 

He looked at her suspiciously. "Is it a stupid bet you made with your friends or...”

"It's not, okay? ”She felt humiliated, her cheeks flushed. "Stop thinking people so bad. ”

He didn't seem convinced.

"It would ruin your reputation, eating with a monster like me.”He said half-jokingly. 

"I can have my meal with whoeverI want.” Rey glared at him, "You are welcome, by the way.”

It was really hard to enjoy his company.

* * *

Rey was woken up by a pair of cold hands around her throat. 

"Rose?” She let out a shaky breath, staring into the pair of charcoal black eyes above her. 

This wasn't the Rose forty-six she knew. There was only animal in her eyes. 

_I must be dreaming. _

The short of her breath told her otherwise. 

Rey sat upright, trying to push Rose off her. 

"Rose,it's me! I'm Rey! ”She searched for a hint of recognition in the other girl's eyes, but failed. 

"Rose?”Her blood was frozen when she realized that Rose was going to kill her if she kept holding onto hope.

She broke free from her grip and quickly ran to the glass wall to push the button for emergency call.”This is Rey ninety-seven. Rose forty-six is attacking me! ”

"Control her, ninety-seven. We are coming. ”

Rey swallowed hard as she turned back to Rose. 

She wouldn't be afraid of forty-six. 

She kicked Rose's leg and the girl screamed. Rey's hands were trembling as she broke her ankles, the sound of bones cracking made her eyes too watery to see anything other than the pain in Rose's eyes. 

"I'm so sorry.”She whispered, curling into her sheets. 

The humans arrived. The one who was wearing a laboratory coat ran to Rose on the ground, the latter screaming and scratching the floor constantly. 

Rey wanted to cover her ears and hide away, like what she had done during the hurricanes in Rosa. 

But she made herself witness the whole process in silence-the human took out a syringe, then slowly pushed the liquid inside into Rose's neck. 

Then, her roommate went quiet. 

She was asleep. 

"She's gonna be okay. Don't tell anyone about what you saw tonight.”the human doctor said to Rey."We trust you, Ninety-seven. "

We trust you. 

Rey nodded slowly. 

She finally put the clues together. 

HARC did something to Rose, and they screwed it up. 

* * *

"Fight me. ”said Ben. They were back in the training room. Rey blinked. Guilt washed over her as she spotted Rose at the other end of the room, last night's experience was still haunting her. 

_She broke her ankles. _

"What's wrong, Rey? ” 

_Don't tell anyone about what you saw tonight. _

"Why did you hate your father?” 

_Quit bringing up my personal issues unless you want a few broken bones. _

He was in no position of threatening her. 

_I am attracted to you,_ she wanted to tell him. _But what you've done is unforgivable. Give me a reason, Ben Solo, give me a reason to have faith in you. _

_I don't want to hate you._

"I didn't. ”He replied, his face blank. 

"Then why did you-”

"Say it. ”His voice was hoarse and low. 

Rose's strange behavior suddenly seemed like a million lightyears away. 

"Why did you kill him? ”Tears welled up in her eyes. "You have a father who gave a damn about you-”

"I had no choice!”He shout-whispered, not wanting to let others overhear their conversation. 

"You had a- Ben, are you crying? ”His eyes were glistening with tears. Rey stepped back in shock, forgetting the hatred and rage she had felt towards him a moment ago. 

"It was Snoke. ”He whispered. "It was always him. It was him who stabbed me to death. It was him who yelled through the comm to make me kill my father. He said if I don't do so, he would send other Reboots to secure my assignment.”

He didn't look like he was lying. 

Rey nervously glanced at the cameras on the wall, hoping the humans were too busy to check the video footage. 

"I'm a coward, '' he spat out, "I knew he would use me to hurt my parents and the rebels they led, but I still listened to him.I should have killed myself instead to let him know that humans would do anything for freedom.That I wouldn't be his puppet-”

"Cameras.” Rey interrupted him by putting a hand on his shoulder.”There are cameras here. They could be listening. Don't let them find a reason to destroy you. Please.”

_I don't want to lose you._

Ben inhaled deeply. 

"I hope they do.”

Rey raised her hand to touch his scar, wiping away the tears that finally went down his cheek. "Oh, Ben, I'm so sorry. ”

Kylo one-eighty-three was crying. 

Not Kylo one-eighty-three, Rey corrected herself. 

Ben Solo was crying. 

He cried for his short human life; cried for being made into a monster, a killing machine; cried for not being able to save his father; cried for not being able to save humanity's last hope. 

"Live to help me finish my training, Ben.” She pulled him into a tight hug and said beside his ears. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Criticisms are welcomed!


	6. SIX

**BEN**

Someone understood. 

He stiffened as she put her arms, thin but strong, around his waist. 

Kylo one-eighty-three disliked the gestures that showed compassion and affection for others. Whereas Ben Solo, the lost human child, the one who hid himself in shadows of the past, the one he thought he'd destroyed, was so touch-starved that in Rey's embrace he forgot what he had become. 

Selflessness. 

Understanding. 

He held onto her like a drowning man hanging on to the last straw that might save his life. 

* * *

**REY**

They went back to training afterwards, not wanting to attract the guards' attention.

"Try to hit me. ”Ben told her. Something in his voice made him sound more...human than before. Rey wished it had not been her imagination. 

She took a hesitant step backwards, fixing her gaze on his chest instead of his eyes. 

The training was so much easier when she hated him. Now she couldn't help but become aware of how much she didn't want to hurt him, despite knowing how fast he'd heal afterwards. 

She threw her fist forward. 

Ben deflected the blow with ease. 

"Try harder. ”He instructed, a little frustrated. 

"I don't want to fight you. ”She confessed honestly. 

"This isn't about whether you want to or not. It is what you have to do. ”His brows drew together, "You are a survivor, Rey. Do it if you want to survive on your own. ”

Rey knew that he was referring to the time after she finishes her training, when they no longer go on assignments together. 

She was too afraid to think about the other layer of meaning embedded in Ben's words. 

_ Don't let them find a reason to destroy you.  _

_ Live to help me finish my training.  _

Don't left me alone **. **

"Focus, Rey.”

She tried again, this time putting more strength into her strike, but still it was blocked immediately. 

Focus. 

She gritted her teeth, telling herself to forget their former conversation. He was that monster who-

She couldn't bring herself to call him by that again. 

She closed her eyes and thought about things that could trigger her rage: Unkar Plutt, who had treated her like his property; Eric Smith, the man who ended his 7-year-old Reboot son's life only because of fear; Officer Snoke, who used Ben Solo's power and force him, a teenager, to murder his father in order that the rebellion would be thwarted; the humans in white laboratory coats-

She had broke Rose's ankles. 

Mind being fully occupied by Ben's confession, Rey had almost forgotten about last night. 

She froze on her spot, the bloody memory drowned her in dread. Her knees felt weak, her teeth started chattering, her movements slowed down. 

_ We trusted you, ninety-seven. _

* * *

**BEN**

The first thing Ben learnt about Rey as a friend, was that she wouldn't want to hurt them the slightest bit. 

He regretted revealing his weakness to her a moment ago. 

As it turned out, the decision might as well minimized her chance to live. 

She mentally rejected using the traditional method of Reboots' training, which was improving the skills by fighting the trainers. 

The training room was dark green. It used to look a lot brighter, without the blood that painted its walls and floor in a deep shade of red. 

During their past trainings, he had broken several of Rey's bones which she returned with no mercy. The stronger you were, the faster you healed. Reboots didn't have to worry about fractures. To them it was more than a common wound, like how humans saw scrapes and small cuts. 

Why did she seem so off today? She acted like a human clumsy and slow, her eyes not willing to meet his, her strikes half-hearted and mindless. 

Was he losing her?

No. Kylo one-eighty-three had never lost a Newbie during their trainings, and Rey ninety-seven couldn't be an exception. 

Or he hoped so.

"Rey. ” 

She violently shifted her attention to him, her whole face darkened with a familiar emotion. 

Guilt. 

Could it be because of  _ that thing _ ?

* * *

**REY**

The whole morning Rey had spent going over her memory flew in a blur. Seeing Rose's joyful expression made the situation even worse, as it evoked the storm of rage inside her over and over. 

She stood stiffly in the shower, only with her jacket off, her exposed skin felt colder than graveyard stones. 

The curtain stirred, revealing a tall figure, a boy who was still fully dressed. 

Her mouth suddenly felt dry, recalling the teenagers running to each other’s place like animals. Could Ben be here because he wanted to do  _ that  _ with her?

"We need to talk. ”His voice woke her up from her daydream, making her blush furiously. "The showers are the only place here without cameras. ”

She swallowed and nodded. 

No, she definitely wasn't feeling disappointed. 

"Who is your roommate? ” He cut into the topic, seemingly totally unaware of the awkward situation she was going through. 

"Rose forty-six.” Rey managed to answer it without pulling the terrible image from last night into her mind again. 

"Is she acting weird?”He tossed the question towards her so fast as if it was flamingly hot. 

Rey looked up. No cameras in sight. 

She hoped so. 

"I broke her ankles to control her, ”she confessed, her voice wavering on the verge of tears as she tried to keep the volume down, "They banned me from spreading what I saw-wait, how did you know?”

A thousand possiblities flashed across Rey's mind. He could be testing if she was loyal to HARC for them…

She trusted him.

"My roommate was doing that too. ”Said Ben, his expression unreadable. "You are not alone in this, Rey. ”He paused, then leaned over to whisper in her ear, "They're injecting the under-sixties with something that is supposed to make them stronger, but it didn't work right. ”

"How did you know?”Her suspects only grew stronger the more she listened to his talking.

"I made my roommate come back to himself last night. He told me when he was not concious enough to realize how much trouble this might bring us both. ” The way he talked about it made every hair on Rey's back stand, "I might be des-”

"Stop it!” Rey took a step back, her skin stung where his breath had brushed against. "Why are you telling me this, Ben Solo?”

“They wouldn't let me live with this secret. Not anymore.” Ben's words sounded like drums in her ears. "I'm telling you so you don't have to question this and make yourself a target for HARC. Don't put the blame on yourself. Finish your training with whoever they assigned you to after-”

"Liar! ”She stopped him mid-sentence way too loudly, her heart jumping into her throat. "They wouldn't want anything happen to their precious one-eighty-three. ”

Ben sighed. "Rey, do you know whyI would have sucha high number?”

She was holding too dear onto her impossible hope to give a response. 

"Because, ”he continued, "When I lived, Snoke used an advanced technique to corrupt my mind. I hallucinated through the days and my nightmares drove me insane. The moment I died, the last thing I remember was my grudges towards HARC. The last thing they want is the son of the Rebels alive once he stops paying his allegiance to them. ”He took a deep breath, "You led a harsh life, Rey, but you always believe in hope. My life and belief had been ended long before my pulse stopped. ”

A silent moment passed before Rey started again.

"I don't believe you.” 

"You do. ”He simply replied. "Search your feelings, Rey. The answer has always been there.”

Rey glared at the boy in front of her. The boy who she had thought to be an emotionless machine, but who she had just started to share a unique intimacy with, was telling her that he as good as dead. 

She felt angry. 

She should feel angry. It took so much misunderstanding until she finally knew him and decided to befriend him, and now he was taking this all away.

He gave her a reason to understand him, to care for him, to lo-

Love him. 

It was only a silly teen crush. She wanted to tell herself. With no future. 

But a part of her denied it. The part of her remembered how he saved her from being further hurt by Hux one-zero-eight on her first day at Austin facility; the part of her that was secrerly glad because he chose her as a trainee; the part of her that had wanted to let her hand linger on his chest; the part of her that had been warmed by his concern; the part of her that felt complete and not alone in his embrace. 

Rey moved forward, throwing her arms around his neck, then kissed him. 

He tasted like stardust and storm at first, rough and full of rage. She drew back a little after the brief contact of their lips to look at him, truly looked at him for who he was for the very first time since she had known him. 

His hands moved up to cup her cheeks. He closed the distance between them and kissed her back, in a more passionate way. Electricity blasted between them as he leaned in further and deepened the kiss. 

They were young and inexperienced, so it was only the touch of their lips, the share of their body heat, and the caress on each other’s skin. 

"You are not alone. ”Rey broke the kiss first, gasping for air. 

"Neither are you. ”Ben replied. A genuine smile crept onto his face, like a ray of sunshine penetrating through a thunderstorm. 

* * *

"What now? "

"We run. "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've never had a crush on anybody. I dunno wat its like. Sorry.  
Criticisms are welcomed!


	7. SEVEN

**REY**

"We run. ”

Her head was still dizzy from the intimate moment she shared with Ben, who was now inches away from him. 

He opened his mouth to object, but she had already made up her mind. "I'll get us out of here.”

Even she herself was not sure if she could keep this promise. 

"No.”He shook his head. "Rey, we cannot stand against HARC. It's too dangerous. ”

"It's already too dangerous for you to stay, Ben. ”She argued, before realizing what he was implying. 

It would be too dangerous for her, not him. 

Rey’s childhood was spent uncared for and unprotected, full of uncertainty. She remembered starving, freezing, excessive bleeding. The situation only changed because she became a Reboot and was taken under HARC's wings. 

Rey's old self couldn't believe she just suggested giving this all up for a boy she once despised and had known for no more than a month. 

Her determination wavered as emotions warred inside her mind. 

"Get out. ”She spoke, a little louder than she had intended. "I'm taking a shower. ”

* * *

**BEN**

He walked out without another word, ignoring the noise of people around gossiping. 

He felt sick. 

He dragged Rey into this. 

He could sense the conflict in her; her survivor instinct fought her compassion for him, and the former obviously had a higher prospect of winning. 

He didn't blame her for choosing herself over him. Being gifted with such a warming heart, Rey deserved to live, while he was nothing more than a mess that needed to be removed from this earth. 

His mind wandered to her kiss; she was so close, her lips were so soft and sweet, her touch felt like lightning on his skin. 

Ben thought he would never understand why people wanted to push their lips together, which seemed to give others a pretty good angle of breaking their necks, until he met Rey. 

He was distracted from this treasured moment by a call at his back. 

"Kylo one-eighty-three, ”A Reboot said to him. "Your presence was required in Officer Snoke's office. ”

That was it. That would be the end of his suffering, his pain, his conflict, his sorrow. The monster would tear his head off his torso and destroy him immediately. End of the game. It would shatter his mother’s heart once more, led the Rebellion to go even weaker. 

Would his mother even mourn for him? He wondered. 

A part of him, however, was screaming to deny this fate. He told himself that he feared once he deceased, Rey would have nobody to shield her from HARC's abuse. 

Rey would have a new trainer. He or she was totally capable of protecting her on assignments. 

The truth was, he just kissed the girl he loved. Light finally entered the shadow. The only good thing in his life just happened to him, and Snoke was now wanting him dead. His life might be pathetic and shattered, but as long as he knew that his feelings for Rey were reciprocated, he found this life worth living. Or, at least, it was easier to bear the pain when you were aware that there was someone who supported and loved you, and was willing to fight for you. 

Before Rey, his family had played the role. But he was too young to realize that his terror wasn't their fault then, and he had  **turned against ** them. 

His father, one hand grazing his cheek, fell onto the pavement with a thump. 

His uncle, tried to murder him when he woke up from death to prevent him being taken to Snoke. 

He shouldn't feel betrayed. 

They were intending to save him by trying to end his life before Snoke got him. 

But it was too late. 

Until it wasn't. 

Until Rey. 

The door to Snoke's office opened, revealing a room fully painted red. Red-uniformed human guards stood on both sides to Snoke's desk. The man was checking some documents before he looked up to see Ben entering. 

"Ah, young Solo. ”He said in a mocking tone, "I can see you brought Rey ninety-seven, too. ”

* * *

**REY**

"No,I assure you  **that ** thing didn't happen between me and Ben.”Rey was surrounded by her friends once she stepped out of the shower. "We were just...talking. ”

Three pair of Reboot eyes fixed on hers, uncovering her lie. 

"Okay, fine!”She threw her hands into the air, frustrated."We kissed, alright? And no more. ”

Their suspicion dissolved sensing her earnest. 

"Rey, you really kissed that monster? Did he force you to...” said Rose, who Rey would feel to guilty to drop her gaze on. Rey pushed the memory aside, an icy feeling filled her chest. 

"He didn't. ” She raised up her chin.”I started it. ”

"But-”Poe and Finn said simultaneously, both stopped mid-sentence at Rey's glare. 

"You don't judge people by what they have done. You judge them by who they are. ”She told them, before spotting Ben talking with another Reboot. She moved just close enough to hear what the guy was saying;"-in Snoke’s office-”

_ They wouldn't want anything to happen to their precious one-eighty-three. _

She was disillusioned. 

"Rey! Where are you-”One of her friends yelled, but his voice was soon muffled by the loud thumping of her heart. 

She ran. 

She ran, memories flashed through her mind: his fingers gently brushed against hers, instructing her on the posture of attacking in a hand-to-hand combat; he reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ears; he pulling her into an embrace several times; his lips soft but steady on hers. 

He was too much to lose. 

She rushed down the hallway, panicked thoughts scattered all over her mind. She tried to memorize his smile-

She was standing behind him. 

Officer Snoke was sitting in front of them. 

He was a man tall and thin, wrinkles and scars marked his exposed skin, his cheekbones so high that any facial movements seemed to be tearing his skin apart. 

"-and you brought Rey ninety-seven, too. ”

Ben turned around to see Rey, his mental barrier down at the sight. His eyes opened wide, his Adam’s apple bobbed up and down. 

"Get away, Rey. ”Ben said to her in an undefiable way. Though his voice was calm, she could see his internal struggle.

_ Why are you here? Go somewhere safe.  _

_ I cannot leave you alone here.  _

_ Yes, you can. Go away. I'll be fine.  _

Rey broke eye contact with Ben to face the Officer, who was putting on a disgusting smirk. 

Rey was eager to punch him in the face. 

"You really don't think I know about you two, do you?” Snoke scoffed. "Young fools. Nothing in your life isn't monitored by us. You might want to learn that we have recorders embedded in every wall here, even the showers. ”

Rey bit her bottom lip, her hands clenched into fists. 

They were  _ animals.  _

* * *

**BEN**

Their conversation had been heard. 

"You want freedom, One-eighty-three? ”Snoke laughed, "How foolish. There will never be freedom in this world.A sheltered life has a price.”

"But, ”the officer continued. "There is a way to save your life. Even after you showed such...aggressive signs of rebellion. ”

_ You have too much of your father in you.  _

Snoke extended his long fingers towards Rey. "Kill her. ”

He stiffened, his hand moved to the knife tied to his waist. 

It had tasted the blood of someone who loved him unconditionally, who forgived him even after what he had done. Who had looked at him with hollow eyes and pleaded him to go home. 

Rage wrecked his rational thoughts as he pulled the knife out, his blade to the girl standing beside him. 

The girl whose smile brightened up his whole world; the girl who was tough and soft at the same time; the girl who had loved him, who had cared about his life, who had been afraid to be left alone. 

"Ben. Please. You don't have to do this.”

* * *

**REY**

She was angry. 

He was giving her life up to save his. 

But she couldn't find it in her heart to be angry with him for his selfishness. 

_ Ben is the son of rebels. He should live to bring people a new hope. She is only a scavenger whose life has no strong impact on the society.  _

_ He is making the right choice.  _

_ I shouldn't blame him.  _

She closed her eyes to receive the last, deadly strike. 

_ It is a just teenage crush, after all. All the sweet words are nothing but flirting. He doesn't care about her life the slightest bit.  _

Something fractured inside her. 

It hurt. 

She could hear the sound of metal clashing against something solid, a breeze went through the air.

Screaming. 

It was not her. 

The metal had never came against her skin. 

She slowly raised her eyelids. 

Ben was standing over Officer Snoke. The life had already left the humans eyes, but Ben was still stabbing his corpse on the chest. Blood formed a pool under the body, dark red on the floor. 

_ It's always him. He stabbed me to death when I was only 14.  _

_ He told me to kill my father, or he'll send other Reboots to secure my assignment.  _

_ I hallucinated through the days, and my nightmares had been worse.  _

"Ben. ”She walked over to pull him up. "Ben. It's okay. He is dead. ”

* * *

**BEN**

His knife jabbed into the human's flesh. 

_ This is for Rey.  _

His knife jabbed into the human’s flesh. 

_ This is for Dad.  _

His knife jabbed into the human's flesh. 

_ This is for myself.  _

His world started shaking as the flame of revenge burnt his conciousness. 

_ His experiences with blade always burnt. _

"Ben-”the darkness fell onto Ben like a carpet, distorted his view of Rey's small frame. "Guards-”

He stood up on his feet, scrutinizing the world around, him. It turned clearer now. His fingers felt numb from gripping the knife’s hilt too hard. 

"Ben, watch out! ”Rey yelled at him, bringing him back to reality. He ducked, just in time for a bullet to fly right above his scalp. 

His training was finally working; he grabbed a guard's arm and twisted it, the bullet that the human fired missed him by inches. Ben kicked the guard's leg to make him fall, then took his gun in his hands. 

He turned to catch a glimpse of Rey, who suddenly let out a battle cry before jabbing her knife into a guard's stomach. He smiled at her fighting style. He'd always known that she had a lot more potential than that red-haired jerk, Hux. 

He fired the gun once, twice, the bullet went through the guard's helmet and into his brain. He aimed in another guards direction, before he felt something cold against his temple. 

Rey shot the guard on his chest before he pulled the trigger. She grinned as Ben gave her a grateful look. 

"Behind you! ”Ben shouted, but it was too late. The guard behind Rey pushed her knife into Rey's shoulder. It missed her neck by a hair.

Rey screamed. 

Ben lost his mind, seeing the girl he was fighting with scream in pain. He shot down the guard that stabbed Rey, then another human who tried to attack him from behind. He saw her raised another hand to assist him, the wound on her shoulder already stopped bleeding. 

* * *

**REY**

The guards were down. All eight of them. 

She let out a shaky breath as she wiped her knife clean on her trousers.

Rey met Ben's gaze. 

They rushed to each other. 

He pulled her into a tight hug and she leaned on his chest and laughed in relief. She looked up to meet his gaze again, drowning in that warm, glowing honey brown. 

She inched forward, closing the distance between them. 

Their lips locked.

She could stay here forever, knowing that she'd saved what she loved. 


	8. EIGHT

"We need to get out of the facility. ”Ben said beside her ear. His voice was low and exhausted, full of concern. She had indulged herself in the lie of them being safe together for too long to realize the danger.

"I have an idea.” She suggested after a moment of contemplation, broke the embrace and wrapped her hand around Ben’s. He nodded and squeezed her hand.

"We'll get to the control room first.” She said, stood straighter in an attempt to make herself sound more determined, "Lead the way.”

"What do you have in mind, Rey?” Ben didn’t move.

“Just lead the way. We are running out of time.” She nudged him on the side, almost pushing him ahead.

* * *

She didn't know if this could work.

They ran up the rusty, stained stairs to the 8th floor, where the control room was located. The stairwell was a dull grey, marked with faded blood stains. Rey wondered who did they belong to.

Reboots weren’t afraid of blood. More accurately, it was HARC that made them indifferent to pain and death, by making them inevitable.

They had really put a lot of effort into this, Rey thought sarcastically, by making children animals. Her thought drifted back to the night Rose was injected, which still surrounded her with never ending rage. She also thought about Ben, who was abused throughout his life, being a sacrificial to politics.

The control room’s door was not tightly closed, to her surprise. Rey took a deep breath as she retrieved the gun from her belt, then kicked open the door.

Her eyes quickly scanned the room. A skinny human was sitting in front of the computer, looked bored.

She walked over and aimed her gun at his head.

"Password. ”She said as coldly as she could. At the edge of her sight, she could see Ben grinning. Rey rolled her eyes. Clearly, he did believe Kylo one-eighty-three was the only person that could play cool when it came to this kind of situations.

The human turned around. One look at the two Reboots behind her, he turned pale, as if blood was drained from his face. His job didn’t include protecting the room against possible intruders, obviously.

"Don't shoot me! “He screamed in a high-pitched voice. "I will give you whatever you want. ”

Rey flashed him a victorious smile. "Turn on the speaker. ”

The human did as she said, his movements slow and reluctant. If not for the gun pointed at the back of his head, he would stand up from his seat and make a run for it.

"Turned on now. “Murmured the human. “This is gonna bring a hell lot of trouble.”

"Sorry.”Ben said to him before punching him in the face and dragging the unconscious man to the other end of the room.

Rey sat down on the chair, ignoring the guilt that was threatening to take over her.

"I'm Rey ninety-seven, ”She started to talk, recalling the rebels' videos she saw back when she was on the streets. "Kylo one-eighty-three and I have just killed Officer Snoke and the guards. You are free. ”She stole a glance at the door. No guards yet. “You won't be forced to do dirty things for them and put your life at risk anymore.”

Cheers broke out on the other floors of the building. Ben was standing beside the door frame, watching out for the judge. She locked gaze with him, mouthing a "Thank you”.

"Join us and your life is yours.”

She took out her knife and cut down the wires.

"Let's go. “She rushed to the door, grabbing his hand. Under them, they could hear the loud footsteps of more than a hundred teenage Reboots and talking, cheering-

Gunshots.

* * *

They wasted no time stopping halfway down the stairwell. The gate was crowded with Reboots, the guards were already down.

"Rey! “She heard her friend's voice and turned around. It was Finn and Rose; the boy was carrying a box in his hands. "We found the antidote!”

Inside the box were several small bottles and injectors, the bottles containing translucent grey liquid.

The antidote.

“To the thing they injected under-sixties with?” Ben asked, eyeing the bottles.

"Yes. ”Rose said with a huge smile on her face. "After hearing Rey’s announcement, we formed a plan. Kaydel suggested we take a shuttle and go to the Reboot Reservation.”

“Reboot Reservation?” Rey lifted her left brow, “what is that?”

“A place at the border of Texas where Reboots live by themselves.” Ben answered for Rose, “About a hundred Reboots live there. The Rebels cooperate with them to take down HARC.”His gaze dropped onto the ground. “My mom used to talk about them a lot.”

Rey spotted confusion in her friends’ eyes. “He is with us.” She explained, “not an enemy.”

She was almost sure that this explanation didn’t quite convince them, but neither questioned further before they exited the facility.

* * *

When Rey was young, she always dreamt of her parents coming back for her. She dreamt of mother’s hand gentling stroking through her hair, of her father getting them into a flat and keeping them safe. She dreamt of having a home where she could run away from the cruelty of the world and staying forever under her parents’ protection. The hope faded as time went, and she started to imagine an ocean when she was desperate to sleep. She imagined waves washing the shores and strong wind ruffling her hair, the grey blue water surrounding her ankles. She imagined laughter of the kids, and the sand made of gold.

Rey dreamt of safety. She dreamt of life. She dreamt of love.

She dreamt of freedom.

It was late in the afternoon, and the sun was starting to sink behind the hills. The sky was a mixture of red, yellow and blue, the light lining the clouds, painting them into different shades of colors.

She had never seen so many colors in her life.

It was almost ridiculous, that such natural beauty would exist in Rey’s world. The sky had always been there, but she had never looked up. She lived her life more filthily than a street rat, her only motivation being the survivor instinct.

Until it wasn’t.

Until she learnt that love did exist. That her waiting for her parents might have been ion vain, but there was always somebody who would come back.

She took a look at the Reboots around; she had thought them lively on the first day she arrived at the facility, but now they were even more vigorous. They might have always been teenage troublemakers whose life had just begun to bloom, whereas under HARC’s control they had never been so alive. Excitement filled the air.

They were free.

* * *

Gunshots.

Screams.

Screaming had never been a good sign.

It was a strange voice instead of any of her friends’.

But this time, Rey turned around anyways.

Because now, she learnt that people could be bonded to each other; It could be others’ friends that got shot.

Also, she learnt that everyone had a right to live. Even people who made horrible mistakes, like Ben, could have their reasons that made them worth saving.

The guards began to flood in their direction, each with helmets on and guns in hand.

That was not gonna turn out pretty if we fought. 

Rey forced herself to come up with a plan that could get them safe aboard the shuttle. 

* * *

**BEN**

He was free. 

Two years and finally, he was under the sunlight again. The assignments were the only chance for him to get outside, but they were usually timed at night. 

It felt...vast. Bright. The world around him. 

Ben suddenly felt small and dirty, like a black dot on a piece of stainless white paper. 

His self-disdain dissolved at the sight of the girl beside him, whose arms dropped at her side and had a gun in her hand. The dim light at sunset shrouded her face in a warm golden glow, making she look almost human. Her eyes fixed on the shuttle. October wind passed her by, grazing her cheeks. 

She was heat in the coldness, light in the darkness.

He held her hand a little tighter, like holding onto an illusion that might disappear in a breath. 

* * *

**REY**

There was no way to salvage the situation. The guards' number won over theirs, and most of the Reboots were not armed. Their only chance was to get aboard the shuttle as soon as possible. 

Beside her, Ben was firing at several of the guards to help cover those at the back. Kaydel ran to the shuttle and opened all the doors. Reboots behind them began to rush into the cargo bay, some were shot down, some were injured so severely that they couldn't make it into the ship. 

Rey stayed back to make sure the rest of the Reboots got into the shuttle safely, the machine gun she stole from the guard running out of bullets. 

"Damn it!”She cursed as the gun stopped functioning. She pulled the trigger for several more times, but it simply didn't work. 

Rey gritted her teeth before running in the direction of the shuttle. 

Suddenly, she came to a dead stop. 

Ben was still out there. 

To protect her. 

She turned back, only to be met by the sight of him limped and fell onto the ground. Blood penetrated through the black fabric of his collar, telling her that they shot him on the neck. 

Rey screamed. "Ben!”

She stumbled to him, ignoring hundreds of guns aiming at her head. 

Don't leave me alone. 

Rey cried out, dragging Ben's body ahead. Kaydel was waiting for them at the door of the shuttle, her expression anxious and shocked. 

Rey pushed Ben onto the ship, then leaped. 

The bullets hit her on the back, her sight wavered in pain. 

But this pain cannot be compared with the one of losing him. 

A pair of hands reached hers and pulled her on. 

Everything went dark. 

When Rey woke up, she was met by the morning light. It came through the window and shone upon her like bliss. 

She felt as if made of feather, her whole body lighter than air. 

"Hi.”

A familiar voice rang beside her. 

I must be dreaming. 

She turned her head to the left, then she saw him. 

"I thought they shot you down.”Her lips were trembling as she stammered out the words.

"They did. ”Ben beamed at her, the most beautiful expression she had ever seen, "But they didn't destroy me. ”

She smiled.

"You come back. ”

His fingers gently touched her cheek. "I'll always come back for you, sweetheart, I promise.”

* * *

"Where are we?” She asked him as she sat up. 

"The Reboots Reservation. ”The shuttle started to land. "We are free.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooooo this ended earlier than i have planned. Tbh ive never done anything so fun. Im planning to write a part II, but i might take a break from this story for a while. Thank u for reading! Part II coming soon!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Pls leave a comment!!! Kudos are also appreciated.  
I'm @dystopianinterstellar on tumblr, come yell at me if the story is too bad, or come say hi if you think it's okay!


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